Sep 19, 2024, 07:00 AM ET

We have our first official playoff teams! The Brewers clinched the season’s first postseason spot on Wednesday with a Cubs loss, and the Yankees followed suit later that night by beating the Mariners in extra innings to secure their trip to October. Now, with 11 days left in the regular season, we wait to see who’s next.

It’s just a matter of time before additional clubs lock up berths — such as the Phillies, Dodgers and Guardians — but others still have a lot to play for. In the past week, we’ve seen the Tigers go on a run that has brought them to just 1.5 games back of the final American League wild card. And in the National League, the Mets have continued their late-season surge, bumping the Braves out of the current playoff picture.

Some of these races will go down to the final days of the season — so, get ready for some exciting baseball!

Meanwhile, our expert panel has combined to rank every team based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers, Alden Gonzalez and Jorge Castillo to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 24 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

Record: 91-61
Previous ranking: 1

With the postseason around the corner, Zack Wheeler looks primed for another big October as he’s pitching his best baseball of the season. He has a 1.98 ERA over his past eight starts with a .181 average and .518 OPS allowed. He has allowed more than two runs in a game just once since June 16. Wheeler leads all pitchers in WAR since 2020, but he appears destined to finish second in the Cy Young voting to Atlanta’s Chris Sale. And who starts the second game of the playoffs? Aaron Nola has been hammered in his past two outings and Ranger Suarez has been a little shaky as well. That could line up Cristopher Sanchez as the No. 2 starter for the postseason. — Schoenfield

Record: 90-62
Previous ranking: 2

This last week and a half is all about which starting pitchers will step up for a Dodgers team that lost Tyler Glasnow (sprained elbow) for the rest of the season and is still unsure about who will make up its October rotation. Yoshinobu Yamamoto needs to continue to sharpen his command, Walker Buehler needs to get his delivery in sync, Clayton Kershaw needs to relieve the pain in his left big toe, Bobby Miller needs to find something to get him back on track and Gavin Stone, who’s nursing shoulder inflammation and still hasn’t restarted his throwing program, seemingly needs a miracle. Beyond Jack Flaherty, the picture still looks very uncertain. — Gonzalez

Record: 89-63
Previous ranking: 3

All summer, as Anthony Volpe continued slumping at the plate, Yankees manager Aaron Boone insisted that the shortstop’s defense and baserunning were more than valuable enough to warrant a spot in the lineup every day. And so Volpe played shortstop every day. That sentiment has seemingly changed.

Volpe was recently out of the lineup twice in an eight-game span after starting 139 consecutive games, with his starts going to the switch-hitting Oswaldo Cabrera. Volpe has batted .212 with the lowest OPS (.554) and second-lowest wRC+ (54) among qualified hitters since June 6, the day after a three-hit performance increased his batting average to .288 and OPS to .803. This could just be the Yankees giving Volpe breathers in hopes that rest could revitalize him at the plate — or they could be signaling that he will play less when the games matter most. — Castillo

Record: 88-64
Previous ranking: 4

The injury report will be a focus for the Brewers over the final days of the regular season. Righty Joel Payamps is a concern after leaving Sunday’s game with forearm tightness, but the team is expected to get starter/reliever Bryse Wilson and righty Nick Mears back before October. Milwaukee could give those players extra time to return if it earns a first-round bye. The Brewers are still within striking distance of the Dodgers and Phillies in the standings but have a tough schedule to finish the season against the wild-card-contending Diamondbacks and Mets. — Rogers

Record: 87-66
Previous ranking: 7

With six scoreless innings against the Astros on Monday, Yu Darvish made a strong case for inclusion in the Padres’ rotation in a potential wild-card series. And that should tell you all you need to know about the state of their pitching — Darvish, a five-time All-Star who has looked good since coming back from a three-month absence, might not be a lock to crack the Padres’ initial October rotation. It says little about Darvish and a lot more about the trio of Dylan Cease, Joe Musgrove and Michael King — not to mention Martin Perez, an under-the-radar pickup before the trade deadline who has been nothing short of dominant in San Diego. — Gonzalez

Record: 88-65
Previous ranking: 5

With their lead expanding in the AL Central, the Guardians now have another goal in mind: the No. 1 seed in the AL. They had some important roster shuffling this week, with Steven Kwan landing on the 10-day injured list with a back issue, retroactive to Sept. 14. That would give him time to make it back before the end of the regular season. After hitting .352 in the first half and starting the All-Star Game, Kwan has struggled with a .201 average in the second half. Carlos Carrasco, on the IL anyway, was designated for assignment. The Guardians are also still hoping to get Alex Cobb, who has made just three starts, back from a blister issue. He could certainly factor into the postseason pitching plans if he’s healthy. — Schoenfield

Record: 84-68
Previous ranking: 9

The D-backs activated catcher Gabriel Moreno after a six-week absence that was prompted by a groin injury. At some point in the near future, Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (calf) is also expected to come off the IL, making Arizona’s high-powered offense whole after being without a handful of regulars throughout the second half. Aside from winning enough games to secure a wild-card spot, getting the likes of Moreno, Gurriel, Christian Walker and Ketel Marte on track offensively will be critical down the stretch. So will a healthy Ryne Nelson, the 26-year-old starting pitcher who recently went on the IL with shoulder inflammation but is expected back before the end of September. — Gonzalez

Record: 82-70
Previous ranking: 8

The Astros aren’t quite locked into the AL’s 3-seed, but things are moving rapidly in that direction. Before long, general manager Dana Brown & Co. will face some tough decisions about the postseason rotation. Justin Verlander has mostly struggled since coming off the IL in August, but that’s only the start of Brown’s dilemma. You only need four starters in the playoffs and, in some circumstances, three will do. Houston currently has five starters outperforming Verlander. Picking a rotation among that quintet would be tough enough, but what about Verlander? Can you really leave the future Hall of Famer out of the mix? It’s one of the more intriguing elements of all the playoff roster decisions that lie ahead. — Doolittle

Record: 84-68
Previous ranking: 6

The Orioles’ decision to designate Craig Kimbrel for assignment Wednesday was simultaneously shocking and expected. Shocking because Kimbrel is a potential future Hall of Famer who, in his age-36 season, was dominant for long stretches this season. Expected because the other stretches were that ugly. Kimbrel lost his closer job for good after the trade deadline. By the end of his time in Baltimore, he was a mop-up man. His final outing was a nightmare: a career-high six runs allowed in two-thirds of an inning in a 10-0 blowout loss Tuesday. Kimbrel was supposed to replace the injured Felix Bautista as the closer. Now the Orioles must rely on Yennier Cano and their two deadline acquisitions — Seranthony Dominguez and Gregory Soto — for outs in the final innings as they tumble into the postseason. — Castillo

Record: 84-68
Previous ranking: 11

After playing every game on the season, Francisco Lindor missed his first Saturday after jamming his back on a play at second base Friday. He tried to play Sunday but left after one at-bat and then sat out the Nationals series. Luisangel Acuna, Ronald Acuna Jr.’s younger brother and the prospect acquired in last year’s Max Scherzer trade, filled in to make his MLB debut and went 3-for-4 with his first home run in Tuesday’s win. The Mets are hopeful that Lindor returns this weekend. They’re also planning for Kodai Senga to return the final week. He’s eligible to come off the IL on Sept. 25, the second game of the series in Atlanta. Senga wouldn’t be stretched, but he could serve as an opener or relief option. — Schoenfield

Record: 82-71
Previous ranking: 10

The bullpen must be the area of focus for Kansas City going forward. That’s true for the regular season and, presumably, the postseason, if the Royals can eke out a few more wins. Lucas Erceg has emerged as the top high-leverage option, and manager Matt Quatraro has used him accordingly, even if that means using him before the ninth inning. Erceg has been terrific but the Royals need John Schreiber, Kris Bubic and at least a couple of others to hold steady if they are going to be more than a feel-good regular season story. — Doolittle

Record: 82-70
Previous ranking: 12

After two big wins to begin their series against the Dodgers, including Chris Sale allowing one run in six innings to improve to 17-3 with a 2.35 ERA, the Braves dropped the final two of the four-game set. On Sunday night, tied 2-2 in the ninth, Raisel Iglesias had a rare meltdown, as an intentional walk to Shohei Ohtani helped lead to a seven-run Dodgers outburst. Monday was a 9-0 loss as Braves pitchers allowed just four hits but walked seven batters. Tuesday’s loss to the Reds then dropped Atlanta two games back of the Mets and Diamondbacks (for two spots), the first time all season the Braves had been more than one game out of the wild-card race. — Schoenfield

Record: 80-73
Previous ranking: 15

The Tigers have made things very interesting in the AL wild-card standings, sitting just a half-game back of the division-rival Twins with nine to go. In case you’re wondering, there isn’t much discrepancy between the two teams’ remaining schedules. Each of their last three series will come against the Orioles, plus one really bad team (Marlins for the Twins, White Sox for the Tigers) and one fringe contender (Red Sox for the Twins, Rays for the Tigers). The Tigers have been carried by their pitching. If they hope to do what hardly anyone considered possible just a few weeks ago, they’ll probably have to hit a bit more; their .685 second-half OPS is the eighth lowest in the majors. — Gonzalez

Record: 80-72
Previous ranking: 13

For months, Minnesota comfortably held on to a playoff spot in an unexpectedly competitive AL Central. Then the injuries that have ravaged the most important players finally caught up to the team. The Twins are 10-18 since Aug. 18 and are now barely holding on to a wild card with the streaking Tigers on their heels. Their remaining schedule is favorable: After a four-game series in Cleveland this week, the Twins face the Red Sox, Marlins and Orioles over their final 11 games. And Carlos Correa and Byron Buxton, their two best players, returned from the IL over the weekend. But both players are clearly not 100% and the margin for error is dwindling. — Castillo

Record: 77-75
Previous ranking: 17

Thanks to a punchless offense, the entire Mariners pitching staff has been victimized by a lack of support. No one has suffered more than Logan Gilbert, who otherwise might be having what would be remembered as a great season. Pairing his 114 ERA+ with his 7-11 record gives you a glimpse of what he has dealt with. That meager win total has been compiled over 30 starts and counting. Gilbert still has a shot at surpassing 200 innings for the first time. He also leads the AL with a 0.89 WHIP, a figure that’s also the best for a qualifying Seattle pitcher. The No. 2 on that list is Felix Hernandez, who put up a 0.92 WHIP in 2014, the height of the King Felix days. Gilbert doesn’t have that record clinched, so that’s something to watch. — Doolittle

Record: 77-75
Previous ranking: 14

Kyle Hendricks could make his final start in a Cubs uniform next week as his contract is up following what was an up-and-down 2024 season. A fan favorite for his throwback style of pitching and laid back demeanor, Hendricks will go down in history as the pitcher that got the Cubs to the World Series in 2016, outdueling the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw to win the NL pennant. Hendricks also started Game 7 of the Fall Classic, a game the Cubs won to break a 108-year championship drought. That all came after winning the ERA title that season. He was the consummate pro throughout his Cubs career and will be a good mentor for an up-and-coming pitching staff, as he wants to continue pitching despite his lofty 6.25 ERA this year. — Rogers

Record: 76-76
Previous ranking: 16

Boston’s postseason hopes, which were barely flickering in recent weeks, were finally extinguished over the weekend in the Bronx. The Red Sox are 23-33 since the All-Star break. They’re 6-10 in September. Now it’s about whether they will finish under .500 in three consecutive seasons for the first time since compiling losing records in 1992 to 1994. The Red Sox also have an outside chance of finishing last in the AL East for the third straight year — something they have never done since divisions were introduced in 1969. — Castillo

Record: 77-75
Previous ranking: 18

Avoiding a second consecutive losing season should be a priority in St. Louis as it hasn’t happened since 1958-59. That could be one of the better franchise stats in all of baseball, but it’s definitely in jeopardy down the stretch here. Ending the season on a West Coast swing won’t be easy, despite playing two non-playoff teams in Colorado and San Francisco. The Cardinals went 71-91 last year but have been flirting with .500 most of this season. It won’t be good enough for the postseason, but keeping their string alive should be motivation enough for a proud franchise that has fallen on hard times. — Rogers

Record: 74-78
Previous ranking: 20

Shane Baz‘s return to the mound after missing two years with injuries has been an encouraging sign for the Rays. The right-hander has a 3.21 ERA across 67⅓ innings since making his season debut on July 5. In his 12th start Tuesday, he held the Red Sox to two runs on two hits over seven innings, becoming the first player in franchise history to allow three or fewer hits and log at least five innings in five straight starts. It was the third time he’s pitched at least seven innings and the sixth time he’s pitched at least six. Baz is just 25 years old. He figures to play prominently in the Rays’ plans for 2025 and beyond. The past two months have been promising. He should have two more outings to finish 2024 strong. — Castillo

Record: 74-79
Previous ranking: 22

Can Rhett Lowder secure a rotation spot for 2025? The seventh overall pick from the 2023 draft has been extremely impressive so far, giving up 17 hits and just four runs in 20⅔ innings over four starts. His best pitch has been his changeup — he’s allowed just one hit off of it — and he’s yet to give up a home run off any pitch. Lowder is another good prospect who’s come up from the Reds’ farm system. The team has plenty of those but might still need a couple of top end players from outside the organization to take the next step and rebound from a poor 2024 season. — Rogers

Record: 74-78
Previous ranking: 19

The Giants followed an encouraging 7-2 start to August with 20 losses over a stretch of 33 games. It will be another wasted season in San Francisco, with the biggest storyline the rest of the way revolving around the job status of Farhan Zaidi, the head of baseball operations. The next biggest (a related one at that): whether the Giants can lock up Blake Snell to an extension similar to the one they agreed to with Matt Chapman, thus keeping another Scott Boras client from entering free agency. Snell has a 1.33 ERA over his last 13 starts, during which he has struck out 105 batters in 74⅓ innings. He is all but certain to opt out if given the chance. — Gonzalez

Record: 73-79
Previous ranking: 21

Texas’ title defense never really got out of the starting blocks. As we all mused about what a healthy Rangers rotation might look like at playoff time, the team dropped below .500 on May 21 and never got back to breakeven. The rotation never did get healthy, even as the roster of available arms iterated repeatedly, eventually resulting in a playing-out-the-string group that included the Jacob DeGrom-Max Scherzer pairing we dreamed about. There were just too many injuries and underperformances to overcome. The Rangers have manager Bruce Bochy under contract through next season and recently extended and promoted lead exec Chris Young. With that pair intact, an improving health outlook and a growing core of in-house talent, expectations for the 2025 Rangers might be high. — Doolittle

Record: 72-80
Previous ranking: 23

Bo Bichette went 2-for-5 in his return from the IL on Tuesday after missing nearly two months with a calf strain. The shortstop rejoined the club with a refreshed outlook, emphasizing to reporters that the time away allowed for some introspection and he emerged “grateful” to just play. On the field, it’s been a lost season for Bichette and the Blue Jays. The two-time All-Star is batting .225 with four home runs and a .598 OPS in 81 games as Toronto stumbled from the start and never clawed back into the playoff picture. There isn’t enough time to boost his numbers to his typical level or push the Blue Jays into the playoffs, but Bichette at least has an opportunity to end the disappointing season on a high note. — Castillo

Record: 71-81
Previous ranking: 24

Paul Skenes won’t qualify for the ERA title — he doesn’t have enough innings — but that doesn’t mean he can’t boast the lowest ERA among all starters anyway. His 2.07 mark going into the final days of the season will put him squarely in the Rookie of the Year race, but will he win it with less than 25 starts? If he lowers his ERA to under 2.00 in the final days, he can probably lock it up. Either way, it will likely be a close vote with Jackson Merrill, his closest competitor. — Rogers

Record: 67-86
Previous ranking: 25

The time for heavy nostalgia is at hand with the A’s down to just six home games before they skip town for good. The finale is Sept. 26 with an afternoon game against Texas. That game will come 70 years to the day of the Athletics’ last game as the Philadelphia A’s. On Sept. 26, 1954, the A’s beat the Yankees 8-6 at Yankee Stadium behind the first career victory for Art Ditmer. Like many former A’s, Ditmer had his best days with the Yankees, winning 15 games for the 1960 AL pennant winners. — Doolittle

Record: 68-84
Previous ranking: 26

It will be interesting to see if center fielder Jacob Young can win the Gold Glove. The Rockies’ Brenton Doyle was the Gold Glove center fielder last year and is probably the favorite, but Young does have the edge in Statcast’s fielding run value metric (plus-16 runs to plus-15), doing it in less playing time. Young also leads in defensive runs saved (plus-12 to plus-9). The Cubs’ Pete Crow-Armstrong has also been a regular on the highlight reels. He’s at plus-14 in Statcast and plus-14 in DRS. Maybe they need to go back to just giving the trophy to three outfielders, regardless of position. — Schoenfield

Record: 62-90
Previous ranking: 27

As the Angels play out the streak, the main thing to pay attention to is the very reason they’ve been so hard to watch: historic losing. Barring a total collapse, the Angels aren’t going to lose 100 games for the first time, but the franchise record — 95 losses, set in 1968 and tied in 1980 — remains very much in play. The Halos have one more road trip, with four games at first-place Houston and three at Chicago against a White Sox team still trying to sidestep the modern era loss record. L.A. finishes at home with three against Texas. — Doolittle

Record: 59-94
Previous ranking: 29

The Rockies beat Arizona on Monday, and how they did it was notable: Ezequiel Tovar, the 23-year-old shortstop who they hope to build around, aided the effort with a fourth-inning home run. It was his 24th of the year, tying for the team lead, to go along with 43 doubles, a record for a Rockies shortstop. Tovar has always been considered a premium defender, but he has taken nice leaps offensively this year. His success, along with that of the other young Rockies position players, is all that matters the rest of the way. — Gonzalez

Record: 56-96
Previous ranking: 28

This isn’t the kind of record you want to set: The Marlins set a new mark for most players used during a single season with 70. That’s almost three full rosters of different players. Michael Petersen, a 30-year-old reliever who was born in England, became the 70th player, breaking a tie with the 2021 Cubs. Peterson had just been claimed on waivers from the Dodgers a few days before his Friday outing (he had made a few appearances for the Dodgers and had a 1.64 ERA in Triple-A, so he could factor into the 2025 bullpen).

That record number could get to 71, as reliever Jeff Lindgren is currently on the active roster as well. Lindgren had a 7.90 ERA in Triple-A with 18 home runs allowed in 75⅔ innings. For the 2024 Marlins, that’s apparently good enough to get called up. — Schoenfield

Record: 36-117
Previous ranking: 30

It’s here. The moment we’ve all been waiting for: The White Sox are on the verge of breaking the modern-day record for most losses in a single season. When they reach 120, they will tie the 1962 Mets. The one after that will set a new mark for futility. A three-game win streak that ended on Tuesday only delayed the agony. Chicago will likely set the mark at home next week against the Angels. The bigger headline would be if it could avoid setting the record somehow, but with a series against the Padres this weekend and another against the upstart Tigers to end the season, the White Sox will make history. — Rogers